Supporting a common cause. Staying involved in that cause. Remaining supportive of those who are dedicating their time to the same cause as you.
For the longest time - like I stated in my previous notes, half a decade - I've done all of the above & if anything I've been keeping at it like none else. Being supportive & staying involved have been two of my greatest strengths; some duders think I'm overenthusiastic at times but what do they expect? If I'm truly proud to be supporting sisterhood, I can't keep my joy bottled up; I sure can't be inarticulate about it either. It's not as if they're telling me, "You need to throw in the towel - enough already." Not that they don't understand or that they don't care; nor is it that they don't truly appreciate & respect women - on the contrary. Thing is, they haven't walked in my shoes long enough to truly understand why I'm so ardent, so enthusiastic in my love & support for my sorority counterparts in the Greek community in the first place.
If that doesn't suffice: they don't understand I have a few years worth of experience on record showing my support & in that regard they're just novices to this veteran; not to take offense here, but still, they should respect me for having that advantage. And they wonder why I show up to all these Greek events as I do? Well, if these men took the time out to do their research & homework about the ladies they're supporting, they'd be surprised for a variety of reasons:
The true purpose for supporting sisterhood isn't because of partying. It's not because this particular chapter has the most attractive ladies on campus. It's not because these ladies happen to look cool wearing letters - they do, but that's not why duders should be showing their support for, say, AOII or Alpha Phi, to begin with. It's because of something much greater: their philanthropies. It's showing one's love in supporting a good cause & staying steadfast to that cause, whether it be Speech & Hearing, the Arthritis Foundation, or the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
That's what some men miss out on completely: these guys love their favorite sororities because of partying & such but absolutely overlook their favorite ladies' mission statement, their favorite sorority's philanthropy, their overall purpose, what truly makes them AOIIs, DZs, on down the line. No wonder then, that they don't understand why I'm truly proud to being supportive of Greek life as I am, what makes me ecstatic about being Greek in the first place. And they wonder why no woman wearing Greek letters ever bothers to take them seriously. Also, here's one more reason why they get bypassed as candidates for chapter sweetheart. If they understood the true purposes behind why Alpha Omicron Pi or Alpha Phi, &c. was founded & each of these organizations' aims, they'd truly appreciate why these ladies are proud to be sorority sisters, what makes them stand out in a class of their own.
Another bonafide reason why duders should support their favorite ladies in the Greek community is: they take their academics seriously. Just because they hit the books a lot at the library doesn't mean they're (to put it mildly) "geeky,"; rather, they take their grades to heart & are doing their part to keep them on the upside. Some of their classes are challenging enough & any man with a heart & time to spare should realize this. If not, why think about supporting these ladies if there are no true motives for doing so?
Here's the bottom line: to truly support Chi Omega, Alpha Gamma Delta, you have to transcend the narrow range of reasons why you love these ladies like wow!! Partying alone doesn't cut it. Just because they've got the "hottest ladies around" - that also doesn't fly. My memo to any man out there is: do the homework, think of their sorority purposes, their philanthropies & how important, say, Cardiac Care or the Arthritis Foundation is to these ladies. Later on, when you really know whom you're representing, you'll know just why I love Greek life with a passion that to this day remains unmatched, wholly unique.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
That first small step.
One step which would end up meaning a lot, for now & always.
Half a decade ago, when I purchased my first shirt from the Emporium, I made that first small step towards becoming the selfless, faithful giver whom I am now. As would be the case with other purchases I've made from Brentwood since then, I would also be giving back to an organization who I'd end up having the utmost love & respect for.
My first purchase provided some closure to questions I had been asking myself up to then: Who can I help? How can I help? Who can I give back to? The Emporium was one place I could go & give back to the sisterhood; the Foundation was yet another place I could turn to & lend my support. (A little further on: the Arthritis Foundation.) To tell you the truth, that first gift would be the start of a love story, the beginning of something beautiful: giving not for self-glory but giving for the greter good of all, giving back to the Greek community without any compulsion, without any reluctance.
Sure, that first gift or Emporium purchase I made five-odd years ago might not have seemed like much at the time. In the same way, the gifts I have given back to the Foundation might not be the greatest. Yet they truly count, truly mean something wonderful - still do. And these words from Anne Buechlein Wilmes, an AOII alumna (Chi Lambda - University of Evansville), are so right on: "I have learned from many organizations that small gifts made on a regular basis always add up to make a difference. My gifts are not large, but when combined with others, I believe they really count."
A lot of men who have female friends in sororities could learn a lot from my experience: of course, they also might be surprised about the whole idea of giving back to their favorite ladies as if to say, "I'm not an AOII, a Chi O or an A-Phi; what does this have to do with me?" Fair enough - to a point. It's not because they don't understand how beneficial giving back to this Foundation or that truly is & it's not because they don't care - certainly, they do understand & care. It's because they don't ask the questions I asked myself a few years back: They know who to help, no doubt, but don't ask how or by what means they can provide that help. Giving back, a small first step it might be, helps to support one's favorite sisters in more ways than one: educational programs, leadership training, chapter-related events, whatever philanthropy their Foundations support (e.g. The Arthritis Foundation, Cardiac Care, Speech & Hearing, The Painted Turtle among others).
Returning to yours truly & his first Emporium purchase, one can say that I'm a Greek brother helping his favorite sisters out with an unselfish, honest-to-goodness spirit - I most certainly am. Yet think of who else I'm helping out along the way: Whether they go to IU, Western Kentucky, Ball State, etc. I'm giving back not solely for a good cause, but - still sounding like a skipping record again - to brighten the days of who knows how many ladies, to show my sincere appreciation & support like nobody else around. "I didn't do this for me; I did this for you." At the same time, I'm keeping the alumnae in mind.
That first small step towards giving back to my favorite organization was one step I'm glad I made while I was ahead. It was also another way for me to become a sweetheart, one of the most thoughtful & adorable duders around.
One step which would end up meaning a lot, for now & always.
Half a decade ago, when I purchased my first shirt from the Emporium, I made that first small step towards becoming the selfless, faithful giver whom I am now. As would be the case with other purchases I've made from Brentwood since then, I would also be giving back to an organization who I'd end up having the utmost love & respect for.
My first purchase provided some closure to questions I had been asking myself up to then: Who can I help? How can I help? Who can I give back to? The Emporium was one place I could go & give back to the sisterhood; the Foundation was yet another place I could turn to & lend my support. (A little further on: the Arthritis Foundation.) To tell you the truth, that first gift would be the start of a love story, the beginning of something beautiful: giving not for self-glory but giving for the greter good of all, giving back to the Greek community without any compulsion, without any reluctance.
Sure, that first gift or Emporium purchase I made five-odd years ago might not have seemed like much at the time. In the same way, the gifts I have given back to the Foundation might not be the greatest. Yet they truly count, truly mean something wonderful - still do. And these words from Anne Buechlein Wilmes, an AOII alumna (Chi Lambda - University of Evansville), are so right on: "I have learned from many organizations that small gifts made on a regular basis always add up to make a difference. My gifts are not large, but when combined with others, I believe they really count."
A lot of men who have female friends in sororities could learn a lot from my experience: of course, they also might be surprised about the whole idea of giving back to their favorite ladies as if to say, "I'm not an AOII, a Chi O or an A-Phi; what does this have to do with me?" Fair enough - to a point. It's not because they don't understand how beneficial giving back to this Foundation or that truly is & it's not because they don't care - certainly, they do understand & care. It's because they don't ask the questions I asked myself a few years back: They know who to help, no doubt, but don't ask how or by what means they can provide that help. Giving back, a small first step it might be, helps to support one's favorite sisters in more ways than one: educational programs, leadership training, chapter-related events, whatever philanthropy their Foundations support (e.g. The Arthritis Foundation, Cardiac Care, Speech & Hearing, The Painted Turtle among others).
Returning to yours truly & his first Emporium purchase, one can say that I'm a Greek brother helping his favorite sisters out with an unselfish, honest-to-goodness spirit - I most certainly am. Yet think of who else I'm helping out along the way: Whether they go to IU, Western Kentucky, Ball State, etc. I'm giving back not solely for a good cause, but - still sounding like a skipping record again - to brighten the days of who knows how many ladies, to show my sincere appreciation & support like nobody else around. "I didn't do this for me; I did this for you." At the same time, I'm keeping the alumnae in mind.
That first small step towards giving back to my favorite organization was one step I'm glad I made while I was ahead. It was also another way for me to become a sweetheart, one of the most thoughtful & adorable duders around.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
"Naturally some letters stand out."
Some letters indeed stand out more than others. Take it from one who knows, someone who's been in those letters himself, living & loving life representing in those same letters. Without question, without contest, one pair of letters does stand out & no number of votes to the contrary will tell me otherwise.
The very first day I saw those letters - well before my mind was made up to go out & support the ladies who wore them - was an epiphany, a revelation of sorts, a moment of truth for me. Whether their letters were displayed on cardinal totes (love & roses), on their hearts & sleeves or both of the above, I began to wonder: What made these women stand out above all the others? What made these wonderful ladies such a force to be reckoned with on campus?
I did all the homework & research I possibly could & found out just why these ladies & these letters stood out above all the others: strong emphasis on grades, continued learning, serving for the greater good of the community, finding ways to stay involved on & off campus - the list could go on ad infinitum. These women, I can tell you this much, were truly living out their values & most of all they had a classiness about them which no one else could surpass, much less equal.
Exceeding the expectation. Living. Loving. Leading. Serving. Each & every aspect of that sisterhood I mentioned above gave me the initiative, then & there (not without making some baby steps, of course) to start supporting these women in the first place. Right away, I knew that these ladies were the ones I'd stand by & represent from that day forward.
Whenever someone says, "NAturally
sOme
leTTers
stand out,"
they truly mean it. And you don't need to look far to know immediately whose letters have stood out in a class of their own for just over 112 years.
Some letters indeed stand out more than others. Take it from one who knows, someone who's been in those letters himself, living & loving life representing in those same letters. Without question, without contest, one pair of letters does stand out & no number of votes to the contrary will tell me otherwise.
The very first day I saw those letters - well before my mind was made up to go out & support the ladies who wore them - was an epiphany, a revelation of sorts, a moment of truth for me. Whether their letters were displayed on cardinal totes (love & roses), on their hearts & sleeves or both of the above, I began to wonder: What made these women stand out above all the others? What made these wonderful ladies such a force to be reckoned with on campus?
I did all the homework & research I possibly could & found out just why these ladies & these letters stood out above all the others: strong emphasis on grades, continued learning, serving for the greater good of the community, finding ways to stay involved on & off campus - the list could go on ad infinitum. These women, I can tell you this much, were truly living out their values & most of all they had a classiness about them which no one else could surpass, much less equal.
Exceeding the expectation. Living. Loving. Leading. Serving. Each & every aspect of that sisterhood I mentioned above gave me the initiative, then & there (not without making some baby steps, of course) to start supporting these women in the first place. Right away, I knew that these ladies were the ones I'd stand by & represent from that day forward.
Whenever someone says, "NAturally
sOme
leTTers
stand out,"
they truly mean it. And you don't need to look far to know immediately whose letters have stood out in a class of their own for just over 112 years.
Of (Alpha) love & letters
Where it all began.
I can't remember exactly when I first started wearing such highly guarded letters, letters which no other duder I've known has been able to gain access to before or since. (If memory serves me well, it was sometime in late August or early September.) What I do know is: Once I put them on, I drew a line in the sand, made a decision which I haven't regretted making - even to this very day, I still don't. At the same time, to quote from one of my poems, "The Letter Wearing Oath," I started "...bearing a mark of recognition that so many other men wished they could have (but cannot, that chance being denied a long time ago)."
This is not to say that I made an ultimate fashion statement you either loved or hated; far from it. The very instant I received my first tee from the Emporium & threw those letters on, I wore them with heartfelt love & pride, to tell those folks who would listen, "Now these are the ladies I want to represent with all my heart - beginning & end of story." Yet I was also saying, "I'm not wearing these letters just to give myself the glory. This is to show my appreciation, lots of courtesy & respect to the classiest ladies on campus."
It has been five-odd years since I made that bold, daring move which no other duder before or after has been able to accomplish. Perhaps it was the rebel in me who felt compelled to show his true colors as he ended up doing, perhaps no. At any rate, the first day I wore these letters on my sleeve & on my heart, I took a stand, I made a good call which Stella, Bess, Jessie & Helen would be proud of, no doubt. And - at the expense of sounding like a broken record - I began truly supporting a sisterhood unlike all the rest out there.
Those letters spoke much louder than words ever could - always have, always will. I didn't know it at the time, but when I first wore them with heartfelt, unswerving love, I would wind up making one of the best choices of my life. Five years later, yours truly is still representing, still donning these letters steadfastly, making everyone from the recent initiates on over to the alumnae proud.
Oh, & being able to speak on their behalf is still one of the sweetest & most beautiful things I have ever done & am still doing.
I can't remember exactly when I first started wearing such highly guarded letters, letters which no other duder I've known has been able to gain access to before or since. (If memory serves me well, it was sometime in late August or early September.) What I do know is: Once I put them on, I drew a line in the sand, made a decision which I haven't regretted making - even to this very day, I still don't. At the same time, to quote from one of my poems, "The Letter Wearing Oath," I started "...bearing a mark of recognition that so many other men wished they could have (but cannot, that chance being denied a long time ago)."
This is not to say that I made an ultimate fashion statement you either loved or hated; far from it. The very instant I received my first tee from the Emporium & threw those letters on, I wore them with heartfelt love & pride, to tell those folks who would listen, "Now these are the ladies I want to represent with all my heart - beginning & end of story." Yet I was also saying, "I'm not wearing these letters just to give myself the glory. This is to show my appreciation, lots of courtesy & respect to the classiest ladies on campus."
It has been five-odd years since I made that bold, daring move which no other duder before or after has been able to accomplish. Perhaps it was the rebel in me who felt compelled to show his true colors as he ended up doing, perhaps no. At any rate, the first day I wore these letters on my sleeve & on my heart, I took a stand, I made a good call which Stella, Bess, Jessie & Helen would be proud of, no doubt. And - at the expense of sounding like a broken record - I began truly supporting a sisterhood unlike all the rest out there.
Those letters spoke much louder than words ever could - always have, always will. I didn't know it at the time, but when I first wore them with heartfelt, unswerving love, I would wind up making one of the best choices of my life. Five years later, yours truly is still representing, still donning these letters steadfastly, making everyone from the recent initiates on over to the alumnae proud.
Oh, & being able to speak on their behalf is still one of the sweetest & most beautiful things I have ever done & am still doing.
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